Three residents of Coimbatore fell victim to online fraudsters, losing a combined total of over Rs 55 lakh in separate incidents. The city cybercrime police registered three cases on Tuesday.
Cryptocurrency Investment Scam
In the first case, P Daniel, a 45-year-old civil construction worker from Kovilmedu, received a message on Facebook Messenger from a person identifying herself as Swetha, who claimed to be an acquaintance. Swetha stated that her child had mistakenly sent the message, and the two continued chatting for about a week. During their conversations, the woman convinced Daniel to invest in cryptocurrency, promising high returns. She provided him with a web link, fortunex-d.com, and instructed him to use it for the investment. Trusting her, Daniel transferred Rs 29.27 lakh in 17 transactions between February 10 and March 6. He later realized he had been deceived.
Fake RTO Challan Message
Antony Felix, a 40-year-old resident of Velandipalayam, lost Rs 5.18 lakh. According to police, he received a fake RTO challan message containing an .apk file. Believing he might have committed a traffic violation, Felix installed the file on April 2. Later that day, while he was in church, cybercriminals allegedly gained access to his bank accounts and siphoned off Rs 5.18 lakh.
Online Vehicle Purchase Fraud
Jebastian, a 40-year-old IT employee from Peelamedu, was cheated of Rs 20.97 lakh while attempting to buy a multi-purpose vehicle through an online marketplace. Police reported that he was contacted by a stranger who offered to help him purchase the vehicle at an attractive price. Believing the offer, Jebastian transferred Rs 20.97 lakh to a bank account provided by the fraudster. Police said the stranger had also contacted the seller, pretending to help sell the vehicle at a higher price. Later, it emerged that the seller had not received the money. The accused had allegedly spoken to both the buyer and the seller over the phone, promising benefits to each, but later became untraceable. Investigation into the phone number used by the suspect revealed that it had been activated in different cities.
Police are investigating all three cases and urge the public to remain vigilant against such online frauds.
